§ MR. SANDARSasked the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government had any 540 intention of proceeding with the measure relating to the collection of agricultural
§ MR. LABOUCHEREsaid, he had considered the subject of the measure introduced last Session with regard to agricultural statistics. But one of the recommendations connected with it which he had made was that the expenses which should be necessarily incurred, amounting, as they were estimated, to between 30,000l. and 40,000l., should be borne by the Consolidated Fund. And his reason for recommending that mode of charging was, that the collection of statistics having to be made for the benefit of the country at large, the cost should be borne by the country at large. However, he was not surprised to find the Chancellor of the Exchequer was unwilling to assent to such an additional charge upon the Consolidated Fund in the course of the present year. He felt himself, therefore, obliged, however reluctantly, to abstain from pressing the measure during the present year.